Mill and Kant Utilitarian Morality - 1056 Words

1. In his discussion of the first formulation of the categorical imperative (Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law) Kant draws a distinction between perfect and imperfect duties. Introduce this formulation of the categorical imperative and discuss how we should make the distinction between perfect and imperfect duties. This formulation introduces the concept of doing something for the right reason not for an ulterior motive. The character of the motive is what dictates the adherence to the imperative. This is possible with autonomy, the decision to act according to moral duty without outside influence. â€Å"If the action would be good solely as a means to something else it is hypothetical. If the action is represented as good in itself and therefore as necessary for a will which of itself accords with reason, then the imperative is categorical†. Kant To distinguish between perfect an imperfect duties. Try to universalize the maxim that is about to be acted. Would you want this maxim to be acted upon your person? By universalizing, you can test whether, your needs are being privileged over the needs of others. 2. At the start of section two of the Grounding, Kant addresses a potential criticism from a group he calls ‘self-love moralists.’ Present this criticism in your own words. How does Kant respond to this criticism? The self-love argument is that all actions are for self. That no act is performedShow MoreRelatedThe Ethical Argument For Veganism1685 Words   |  7 Pages This essay analyzes the ethical argument for veganism through the lens of philosophy using Utilitarianism defined by John Stuart Mill, and Deontological ethics according to Immanuel Kant. Through the use of these theories, I will justify the moral worth and legitimacy of the animal welfare debate that is often used to promote a cruelty-free and vegan lifestyle by analyzing questions of animal sentience, the worth of an animal’s happiness, and the right humanity supposedly has to the lives of otherRead MoreThe Long Standing Debate On Ethics1253 Words   |  6 Pagestheir own theories in determining whether an action is good or bad. John Stuart Mill focuses on a utilitarian perspective and utilizes the idea of consequentialism and on the other hand, Immanuel Kant avoids the consequentialist argument and supports a deontological perspective in analyzing morality and ethics. Both arguments, valid as they may be, strongly contradict one another, mostly on the basis that Kant and Mill look at very different parts of the equation. Both thinkers appeal to a sense ofRead MoreThe Moral Theory Of Utilitarianism1725 Words   |  7 Pagesproblems with utilitarian thoughts are revealed. It has been widely debated by many philosophers, including G.E. Moore and Immanuel Kant. Like these two philosophers, I argue that utilitarianism is inadequate because of its contradictory nature as a moral theory. It highlights the principle of utility in seeking the greatest pleasure, allowing egotistic and hedonistic actions to be considered moral. John Stuart Mill, born in 1806 in London, is one of the most infamous utilitarians in history. HeRead MoreThe Moral Dispute Of John Stuart Mill And Immanuel Kant1500 Words   |  6 Pagestheory and argument will be explored further in this review along with the works of some of his successors. The Moral Dispute John Stuart Mill vs Immanuel Kant Philosopher John Stuart Mill’s theory highlights utilitarianism and Kantian theory would be the total opposite. Mill’s position links happiness with morality and focused solely on the outcomes of an action. Philosopher John Kant’s theory emphasizes the importance of rationality, reliability, and neutrality with highlightsRead MoreEssay on The Golden Rule in Kant and Mills Ethical Theories1320 Words   |  6 Pagespurpose. The two most important philosophers that deal with ethics are Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill. Kant’s ethical theory is Kantianism or deontological ethics. Mill’s ethical theory is utilitarianism. Both philosophers’ theories have many differences; Kant’s theory deals with conduct, seeking reason for good action in duty. Mill’s theory deals with consequences and maximizing human happiness. However both Kant and Mill’s ethics relate to the important biblical principal of the Golden RuleRead MoreEthics and Morality Essay1347 Words   |  6 PagesEthics and Morality Is it immoral for a person to write lies on his/her resume? This question poses many questions in its self. How fictitious is the lie, what are you lying about, what could be the consequences of this lie and whom and how will this lie affect the people involved? How would John Stuart Mill answer this question? Mills general position seem to be that one should do what will produce the most happiness, pleasure and with the absence of pain. With this in mind for one toRead MoreDr. Ethos, The Chief Resident Of A Hospital1591 Words   |  7 Pagespatients. The question is, what would Dr. Ethos do, if he were Utilitarian (Act vs. Rule)? What would Dr. Ethos do, if he were a Deontologist (Kantian)? Utilitarianism John S. Mill describes Utilitarianism, also known as â€Å"The greatest happiness principle†, as a philosophical theory of morality. This theory focuses on the end result, rather than the motive behind it, which makes it a consequential theory. It argues that the morality of the action is solely dependent on the action’s results. TheRead MoreUtilitarianism And Immanuel Kant1213 Words   |  5 Pageswill give him the best outcome. The categorical imperative rule of Kant seems to suggest that actions must be universal for them to be classified as either moral or immoral. John Stuart Mill also strongly contributed to the development of philosophical views that have continued to influence different aspects in a variety of different disciplines. Among his many developments is the utilitarianism theory that explains morality. Mill argues that the usefulness or moral worth of an action is determinedRead MoreUtilitarian Theory Of Moral Status1189 Words   |  5 PagesIn this paper, I intend to show that utilitarian theory of moral status is much more preferable than deontological approach. I will demonstrate this idea by using by using the concept of moral laws by Immanuel Kant and John Mill along with Peter Singer’s Speciesism and Moral Status. Moral status is a term that deals with who and what is more valuable, or have higher quality, in which they should be treated specially; and both deontological and utilitarian aspect of moral status is different fromRead MoreUtilitarianism : The Greatest Happiness Principle1176 Words   |  5 PagesUtilitarianism John S. Mill describes utilitarianism, also known as â€Å"The greatest happiness principle†, as a philosophical theory of morality. This theory is focused on the end result (a consequential theory) rather than the motive behind it. It argues that the morality of the action is solely dependent on the action’s results. The action is morally ethical as long as it produces the greatest happiness for the majority of people involved. Mill mentions, â€Å"†¦ the greatest happiness principle holds

The Pros and Cons of Human Cloning Essay - 601 Words

To clone or not to clone? that is the question troubling the minds of many Americans and citizens all over the world. Imagine how life would become when millions of people start looking alike, acting alike, and thinking alike. There would be no diversity what so ever in todays society. Ban human cloning!, Jean Bethke Elshtain author of To Clone or Not to Clone, displays a strong argument as to why human cloning should be banned. Cloning may bring advances in artificial organs, cosmetics, and age reduction; but nevertheless it takes away a humans individuality, uniqueness, and basically that persons right to live his own life. Scientists have high hopes about cloning and what it might bring. They are talking about setting†¦show more content†¦Why cant it create a human? Because it would take about 300 tries to produce a healthy baby. What most people dont know is that Dolly was not the first. Ten of the 300 sheep were dead, five had deformities, and one could do nothing but pant. It was destroyed because of the pain it was suffering. How many times are we going to try to create a human? How many mentally handicapped and deformed babies will we bring into this world before we achieve success? We dont need new, cloned people. We dont need to demand our bodies what they sometimes cannot give (364). Why try to manufacture it like a product is made in a factory? The human body is not a product or a thing. Cloning may correct some of the mere eight defective genes in the average human body and it may give an infertile couple the ability to have children, but manufacturing artificial life cannot give a child his own life without living in the shadow of another. It would be difficult for a clone if they dont even have real parents, their own, unique body, or an identity different from anyone else that has walked the Earth. How will a person grow and mature if they are always being measured up to a standard that they might not be able to meet? How will they feel loved if they have no real parents? How will the father of his cloned wife be able to look at his daughter at the age of 20 and not see the same person he fell in love with? Who knows if these peopleShow MoreRelatedThe Pros And Cons Of Human Cloning1532 Words   |  7 PagesReplicating a human is a topic that a handful of individuals feel very strongly for. Copying a human’s DNA can potentially be a means of reproducing fo r a couple that may not be able to have children. On the other hand, copying a human’s DNA can take away the individuality of a person. Although I am always taking into account other individual’s perspectives, human cloning is something that I feel is unjust. Human cloning is fallacious and immoral due to lack of positive results and lack of libertyRead MoreThe List Of Pros And Cons Of Human Cloning1624 Words   |  7 PagesThe list of Pros and cons of human cloning Summary: The necessary technology has been created, as evident in the story of Dolly the sheep. People still pose questions such as the role of God in Society. Here is a list of pros of human cloning : It could eliminate defective genes , It is considered as the logical next step in the reproductive technology, It could aid in faster recoveries from injuries, it gives a new meaning to genetic modification. As all things human cloning also has cons. Here isRead MorePros and Cons of Cloning Humans906 Words   |  4 Pagespossibility of cloning a human. Although the scientists from the Roslin Institute who had made the significant breakthrough with Dolly denied the possibility of creating human clones, the idea was still wide debated about the risks and benefits of human cloning. So, what is cloning? Cloning is a process of generating a new organism by an identical genetic copy of the original donor. The DNA of the two organisms will be identical (LaurenÈ›iu, 2012).With the developm ent stage of science, human has been alreadyRead MoreThe Benefits Of Human Cloning : Pros And Cons1254 Words   |  6 PagesFor starters, cloning has said to solve the continuous problem of infertility by inserting a clone embryo into the woman’s body. This guarantees infertile couples a child, as opposed to wasting time and money on other painful and emotional procedures that don’t offer this guarantee. The next benefit offers an immense amount of growth in regenerative medicine and assists those with physical disabilities by producing clones of themselves. Why clone themselves if they have a disability? Scientists canRead MorePros and Cons of Human Cloning Essay2024 Words   |  9 Pages Cloning is a process in which genetically identical copies of biological matter are created through nonsexual means. Clones are made up of organisms that are exact genetic copies. Every piece of their DNA is identical. Cells, genes, tissues and entire organisms can be created through cloning. Aside from cloning being done in a lab, clones do happen naturally. Identical twins are just one natural example of cloning. Cloning has been used for many years. The earliest examples of cloning haveRead More The Pros and Cons of Human Cloning Essay3781 Words   |  16 Pages The cloning of humans is now very close to reality, thanks to the historic scientific breakthrough of Dr. Ian Wilmut and his colleagues in the UK. This possibility is one of incredible potential benefit for all of us. Unfortunately the initial debate on this issue has been dominated by misleading, sensationalized accounts in the news media and negative emotional reactions derived from inaccurate science fiction. Much of the negativity about human cloning is based simply on the breathtakingRead MoreAmazed by Cloning1544 Words   |  6 PagesCloning is an amazing complex thing! In this paper a person will learn some basic cloning information, the history of cloning, good and bad things about cloning, human cloning, and bringing back endangered species with the use of cloning. Information includes the processes and some animals that have been cloned. The history includes the different cloning achievements starting with the first artificial twin. The good and bad parts will o f course talk about the pros and cons of cloning. HumanRead MoreThe Consequences Of Cloning In Frankenstein By Mary Shelley1470 Words   |  6 PagesThe invention of cloning, both a blessing and a curse, can possibly enable humanity to reach eternal life. An invention is the creation of a device developed after a study or an experiment, in the hopes of benefiting society. The novel Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is about an inventor, Victor Frankenstein, who creates life that he later rejects. His invention results in consequences for both himself and his creation. Both cloning and the creation of the monster was made to benefit and advance society’sRead MoreCloning Pros And Cons Of Cloning1147 Words   |  5 Pages Cloning Pros Cons Nicole Hedrick Baker College HSC 402A /Dr. Eric Oestmann/Seminar Two Position/Argument Essayâ€Æ' Abstract A clone is where two organisms share the same exact DNA. These two organisms are the same identical replica of each other. In the past, cloning has taken place naturally. For instance, a couple who naturally conceived and gave birth to identical twins or triplets. Today, science and technology has been introduced to where cloning can intentionally be done. Some peopleRead MoreShould Pets Be Cloned?1477 Words   |  6 PagesCBMS880- Medical and Molecular Biotechnology | Animal cloning is getting popular by scientists day by day after the success of the sheep Dolly which was the first animal clone in the world. Dolly was created effectively by Roslin Instute scientist in Edinburgh (TechNyou) and she was euthanized when she was six year old due to a virus-induced lung tumour (Mott M., 2004). Even though the relevant scientists report that there is no evidence that cloning might be the cause of the disease of Dolly (Mott M

How Do Communities Differ from Each Other free essay sample

ABET ABET Adult Basic Education for Social Change ABET adult basis education and training budget Civil society Education Governance and democracy Human rights literacy NGOs rights Why is a large broad-based adult basic education programme not part of government’s ‘New Growth Path’? Are we content to merely provide pensions and grants to millions of adult South Africans who should be learning productive skills, entrepreneurship, basic health – and also about democracy? We are marginalising our people and keeping them dependent while we focus on those who have better education. And while we ignore the poorly educated, a seasoned adult-education NGO, Project Literacy, is retrenching skilled staff: as reported last month, this is because grants from the National Skills Fund have been suspended while government completes the formalities surrounding its new skills qualifcations. Adult basic education (ABE) can make dreams possible for thousands of adult South Africans who struggle daily for food and security. A strong South African ABE programme can offer education and training to help people make money, improve family health, share in community life, participate more in our democracy, take hold of their own human rights and extend these rights to others. It can help to build social justice and equity. Take the story of a courageous rural literacy learner called Zanele, a member of an Operation Upgrade literacy class. She was the new wife in a polygamous family dominated by the first wife. In literacy lessons Zanele discovered that she had human rights and she questioned her role and status as a makoti (new bride, a newcomer to the family and a source of labour). She worried about HIV as well, after an alarming literacy discussion about how people get infected. Zanele decided to free herself from the marriage and from the danger of HIV infection by her town-dwelling husband. To get this freedom, she needed to leave her husband’s homestead and make a living for herself. Her own family ould not accept her return, for fear they would have to pay her lobola back to her husband. Zanele needed somewhere to live. She puzzled for weeks about finding a way out. During discussion in her Operation Upgrade literacy class about a nearby low-cost rural housing scheme, Zanele said, â€Å"I am going to get a house! † She did. She and her little daughter now live in a simple two-room house where she can lock the door at night, grow her own vegetables and keep her own live stock. She does not have to cook and wash clothes for two other women and their families any more. She had problems getting the house – completing the application form in English (with the help of her literacy educator), being threatened by the wives and the induna, and being beaten by her husband – but she managed in the end. She makes traditional Zulu wear to sell. â€Å"I have freedom! † she says. Zanele’s story is common in adult basic education work. An adult literacy programme should cover human rights, HIV and AIDS, and solve social and economic problems relevant to the learners. It should include family health, gender issues, workplace issues and a host of other topics. Is this adult basic education? Yes it is, if you link the teaching of reading and writing and counting to a range of topics of concern to the learners. Operation Upgrade, a NGO in KwaZulu-Natal of which I am part, has ‘literacy and adult basic education for social change’ as its mission. In an isolated and neglected rural area north of Hluhluwe, the adult basic education programme teaches adult learners to understand and live with HIV and AIDS, write and read in isiZulu and English, calculate with money and run small businesses, grow vegetables and make and sell small crafts, including leather goods. Human rights – and gender issues – come as strong topics in the classes, and the learners make their own theatre sketches about life. How is literacy linked to a development topic in an ABE programme? A skilled adult literacy educator will start a lesson with a discussion on a key topic. The educator must have knowledge to share about the topic, or use a resource person, such as a nurse or an agricultural extension worker. After the discussion the educator and the class do literacy work based on the topic. Every literacy lesson should have both development and literacy objectives. It’s the development objectives that create full adult basic education. The premise underlying the Operation Upgrade programme is that combining adult literacy or adult basic education with HIV and AIDS education, family health education, livelihood development, food security support and human rights will help to break the cycle of poverty, poor family health and disease, and isolation – a cycle that makes up so much of the condition of disadvantaged adults in South Africa today. It is a model of integrated development education and support, using the literacy class as the vehicle for organising people and making inputs. The content of the classes is negotiated with learners because the literacy experience must meet their needs. Learner needs for information or exposure to issues deepen as they go through literacy classes, developing greater critical consciousness about life in their community. We believe that literacy learning per se is not enough for learners: they are seeking ways to change their lives. It is wrong to lead learners to believe that literacy alone will improve their circumstances: a broad-based adult basic education programme is needed that reflects social and economic issues. Such a programme must change with changes in its social context. Who would have thought to include HIV and AIDS in adult basic education 25 years ago? Huge funding is being spent on ABET (adult basic education and training) programmes in South Africa with little thought about the value of this education for adults or which is worse – whether adults really want pieces of a school-equivalency paper. A look at the enrolment and examination numbers for Abet Level 4 across the provinces shows little interest in this learning. Some young people hope for ABET qualifications as alternatives to matric, but the numbers are small. And where are the mature adults studying at this level? Not many of those, either. Adult South Africans have real problems right now. They cannot wait for future generations to provide solutions. Nobody is decrying the efforts made by the various state ABET units to deliver a good education product – but the vision of adult basic education in national policy is very different from the ‘replacement schooling’ curriculum they offer. The ABET budgets are low and the programme gets little political support. The big question – How can adult basic education help people in South Africa to narrow the poverty gap? has not yet been asked at a national level. Today’s adults are asking what is being done to improve their lives here and now. And the ‘T’ for training in ABET? No budget for low-level skills training in the ABET classes – the further education and training colleges are touted as the T component but they are largely inaccessible a nd their courses do not get people jobs †¦.. the truth is, the jobs are not there. We are firmly convinced that employment for all will be the answer to poverty. More than half of South Africa’s working-age population are either unemployed or not economically active. What about training for adults for self-employment and self-reliance? Are we serious about being a developmental state? And then we spend billions on a nice-to-have mass adult literacy campaign, Masifundisane or Kha ri Gude, where adult learners in class for six months (part-time) learn to write in home their languages, speak and read a little English and do a little addition. It’s a quick dip in reading and writing. So what? â€Å"If you don’t use it you lose it†: there will be serious relapse from any minimum level of literacy reached in the mass campaign. When are we going to deliver useful education and training for adults? We have seen enough of ‘dumped’ classes after six months in Kha Ri Gude, classes of learners who cry, â€Å"What’s next for us? We want to learn projects! † Development NGOs, underfunded, are trying to cope with this problem. It’s time we stopped expecting traditional education to be the saviour of our disadvantaged adults. Plain literacy and school equivalency education will not put bread on the table tomorrow, nor will they teach a mother how to purify water from a river before her children drink. Let’s be honest. You and I communicate through literacy, so that’s what we think all people should have, but illiterate adults have more pressing needs. And the programmes offered to them depend on voluntary attendance, so we need to meet their needs, not design learning for them to meet alien or unrelated needs. The old role of the teacher-bestowing-knowledge merely serves to reinforce the status quo. There’s a vast, undereducated adult population which is not part of the economy and which has no involvement in developing our society. Is this what South Africa wants? We have the opportunity now to give adult learners an education that helps them develop a critical perspective on how they live and shows them ways to change their lives. Functional and problem-solving adult basic education and literacy is the best available means of developing our nation. Pat Dean is the director of Operation Upgrade of South Africa, an NGO providing adult basic education with literacy. This article was first published in the Mail Guardian and is republished here with the permission of the author. Author(s): Pat Dean Printer-friendly version VacanciesEventsOpportunitiesVacancies Human Rights Watch: Office Administrator Deadline: 18/08/2011 enke: Make Your Mark: Programme Coordinator Deadline: 19/08/2011 Child Welfare South Africa: Administration Operations Manager Deadline: 19/08/2011 AIDS Foundation of South Africa: Monitoring and Evaluation Officer Deadline: 19/08/2011 more Events Media and Democracy Conference: Towards Sustainable Stability in Africa Wednesday, August 17, 2011 Workshop on the Submission of State Party and Shadow Report to the UNCRC and ACEWRC Wednesday, August 17, 2011 When Technology Hurts: How Technology Is Changing Wednesday, August 17, 2011 moreOpportunities 2011 SEED Awards Deadline: 22/08/2011 SABC-Telkom-Highway Africa New Media Awards 2011 Deadline: 22/08/2011 Delegation of the European Union: Call for Proposals Deadline: 25/08/2011 Khanyisa Education and Development Trust: Researcher Deadline: 26/08/2011 Journal of Community Informatics: Call for Papers – Special Issue Deadline: 31/08/2011 Events calendar  « August  » S M T W T F S 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Adult Basic Education for Social Change